EXPLORING INDIA! IT S OKAY TO FAIL, ISSUE6 INDIA AASHNA HASHMI WIND. MYSON thousandmilessite.in THEAIR CHIME ETERNAL ATOMIC BLONDE SMALL FISHFRY

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1 AUGUST2017Vol.5 ISSUE6 MOVIE REVIEW ATOMIC BLONDE AASHNA HASHMI Beingadesigner EXPLORING INDIA! INDIA AParadigmofDiversity IT S OKAY TO FAIL, MYSON thousandmilessite.in 1K.Miles CAN HEAVENBE SOMEWHERE ELSE areyou awareofthe HAZARDIN THEAIR FOOD CORNER SMALL FISHFRY POETRY ETERNAL WIND CHIME THE HORNBILL FESTIVAL 1k.miles

2 JUNE 2017 Vol. 5 ISSUE 6 Previous issues EDITOR RATHIN DUTTA PROOF EDITOR ADITI SHENDE On the cover PHOTOGRAPHERS ROHAN LALA, DEVARSHI BHARGAV FEATURING AASHNA HASHMI GRAPHIC DESIGNER BIKASH MAHATO COLUMNISTS AKSHAY VYAS, PRACHI PANDEY, MRIDUSMITA PUZARI, KARISHMA DEWRI EXPLORING INDIA IMAGE: Navojit Bhuyan COVER DESIGN: Bikash Mahato MAINTAINED BY: Devarshi Bhargav For queries, assistance & feedback, you can reach us here: CONTRIBUTORS SANJEEV DUTTA, JOONAK KONWAR, LIPIKA DEBNATH All rights reserved. No part of this ebook may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher or editor. Anyone with a good intent and constructive mindset can share and distribute only the pdf copy of the issue in their community and friend circle. Only Magzter.com has the special permission to distribute in any form in all its platforms as strictly mentioned in their terms and conditions. Although the editor and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this book was correct at publishing time, the editor and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause. Contact thousandmilessite@gmail.com Visit htp://thousandmiessite.in Contact number(s): Thousand Miles on FACEBOOK 1 K. Miles Where we update our ongoing, upcoming issue abouts and also interact with people outside out team. Thousand Miles on INSTAGRAM 1 k. miles Where every week our team selects an original photograph/creative artwork posted by Viewers to showcase their insights Thousand Miles WEBSITE thousandmilessite.in where we update our monthly issues and free pdf version of selected issues are also available for offline readers.

3 CONTENTS GALLERY EXPLORING INDIA HAZARD IN THE AIR Interview with VASANT KALLOLA INDIA: A PARADIGM OF DIVERSITY THE DIVERSE FEEL OF INDIA MOVIE REVIEW: ATOMIC BLONDE Featuring: AASHNA HASHMI CROWDFUNDING: BULTIR RESULT SMALL FISH FRY CAN HEAVEN BE SOMEWHERE ELSE THE HORNBILL FESTIVAL ETERNAL WIND CHIME

4 Hello Readers, How are you all? Did you enjoy the post summer with down pour of rainfall? We hope you have good time this summer and looking forward to the next season as soon as the rainy season ends. The day of liberation 15th august 1947, India regained its sovereignty, after a tremendous efforts and sacrifices. We have read history of that period and heard of many stories of misery through which the country came across to attain this day, and the national flag of our country was proudly raised. Today the people of our country have the different opinion of this day, and many among us don t believe that we are actually independent, but our country is. Poverty, hunger, slavery still persists in our democratic country. We have the longest constitution in the world in the race of satisfying the large number of population and hence our country is growing abnormally in many sectors. Here anybody can become a politician, anyone can rule, all that we need is our background. Sorry, the poor dialogue has to be repeated once again the poor are becoming poor and the rich are getting richer. This is my true feelings and it sustains an Indian characteristic think positively, criticize negatively. Perhaps this positive negative combination is driving the mass. If I would have been a historian today, I would have explained how Bhagat Singh, Subhas Chandra Bose, Chandra Sekhar Ajad, Piyoli Phukan, Joimoti and many other freedom fighters sacrificed for this day. [from our mettle man: Mukunda Madhab Dutta] Chester, we miss you Our young days had passed listening to the rock music of Linkin Park. The voice behind the band was of Chester Bennington, the lead singer. Whether it is In the end or Numb or Leave out all the rest, his voice won t just leave our memories and our music list; certainly not. His saddening demise where he liberated his own soul with his own self is something we the music lovers find hard to digest. We, at Thousand Miles certainly miss you. May your soul rest in peace, Chester. We all love you. Floods Everywhere The reason behind such rainfall is not only record high rainfall but also poor management and less inter-look by the government. Though the present government has sanctioned crores of relief fund and establishment of high power committee for settling the issue of flood, it is still not in complete resolution. Technology transfer is good, unless there is a development of indigenous technology for such calamities, country will go on facing such issues. Relief fund is more like prevention. But prevention is better than cure. We have to find the cure with better indigenous technologies and proper management from the government. To India to become super-power, this has to be targeted. Signing off from the desk of Editor.

5 INDIA- A Paradigm of Diversity As rightly quoted by French scholar Romain Rolland If there is one place on the face of earth where all the dreams of living men have found a home from the very earliest days when man began the dream of existence, it is India. But why to visit India? There are at least thousands of prompt individual reasons to do so. Rich art &culture, age old heritage, scenic beauty, wonderful wildlife and so on. This article may not summarise the vast diversified indigenous spheres of extraordinarily deviant country but one can surely get a glimpse of its aura, but little differently. Few aberrant things which will leave anyone awestruck. 1. Lath mar Holi Tradition of beating with sticks Holi is one of the biggest festivals in India where it is believed that splashing colour and spreading love, forgetting and forgiving, playing and laughing, signifies the victory over evil. But Holi in Banaras is a little different with one of their indigenous practice called Lath mar Holi. Re-enacting a mythological story which says Lord Krishna came to Banaras to tease Radha and her friends, but in return he and his friends got beaten up and chased away by them. Therefore, the men from Nandgaon, the village Krishna is said to be from, get beaten up by the local women with bamboo sticks but the men are given a shield to protect them. This mock fight defines the purity of their happiness and uplift the occasion of Holi in the area. Image source: 2. Jewellery to look ugly Women from Apatani tribe, Arunachal Pradesh adorn their noses with most unconventional way. They insert wooden plugs which are large circular nose plugs, known as yapping hurlo into their nostrils. They change the plugs with age and size of the plugs ends up being upto 2-3 centimetres across. This practiceis believed to be historically done to all Apatani women once they hit puberty to mark them as adult. This is done to make them look ugly so that they should not be considered as war booty. The Apatani women were considered as the most beautiful women among all Arunachali Tribes so neighbouring Image source:

6 tribes used to attack them and kidnap the women. Hence they started wearing nose plugs and tattooing their face to look unattractive. But this has been shredding with time and women born mostly after 1970 have been abandoning this practice gradually. 3. The Twin Villages All in pairs. Mohammadpur Umri, Located in Dhumanganj area in Allahabad district is a live example of nature s ultimate creation. Strangely due to an undefined factor, out of Umri s total population of 6000 people, more than 100 are identical twins. Under very unusual statistics for twin births, Umri has received a global significance due to which many scientific research has been carried out. According to village elders this is some kind of God s grace and they believe that there is some magic in its soil, which makes them distinct in the world. This cloning has started from Initially the rate of twin birth was less but with time it has been soaring greatly. Interestingly, this twin process is not limited to humans alone, the chicken in the village produce egg with two yolks and even buffalos and cows give birth to twins. Scientists from Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) are working on the samples of Umri to find the relevant reason for this phenomenon. Similarly, Kodinhi in Kerala has also demonstrated such traits. This rural village consists of 2000 families and among them 400 pairs of twin continue to be a mystery to researchers. A signboard that reads Welcome to the God s own Twins Village Kodinhi attracts many visitors and the villagers also welcome them with warmth. The first association on Twins in India which is Twins and Kins also started in Kodinhi and their population is a stimulating point in knowing the absolute factor which has given the place this beautiful but abstract phenomenon. Many have emphasized on the genetics of the population but there are few speculations on air, soil and water playing a role in this, but this is yet to receive any scientific explanation. 4. Chaprah Red Chutney with Red Ants Image source: In terms of dishes, India has a larger variety to offer. Chutneys have played an important role in many Indian delicacies. But Baster district of Chhattisgarh has given a new definition to chutney. Baster, being surrounded by jungles and wild plants, red ants are found in abundance and so the locals of Baster fully utilize them. Their food includes Chaprah Ki Chutney which is made with red ants and their dried eggs along with salt, ginger, garlic and lots of red chilies. The white larvae of these ants are sour in taste and

7 the spices which are added to it enhance the flavour to another level. This ant chutney is enriched with Vitamin b12, Zinc and many minerals and proteins which are beneficial to health. The term Chaprah means leaf basket and refers to the nest of the ants. Hunting of these red ants is a favourite pastime of the young. The nest is harvested before sunrise. Image source: 5. Bullet Baba Shrine Temple for Motorcycle Rider Amidst all the religions and deities, a temple in Jodhpur shows an uncustomary practice of worshipping motorcycle, a bullet bike. About 50 km from Jodhpur, Rajasthan on the Jodhpur- Pali highway, bikers have this religious hotspot also known as Om Banna Sthan or Om Banna Mandir. The explanation for the establishment of this temple goes with a story of a fatal accident. About two decades ago, Om Singh Rathore, son of a local village leader met with an accident on this particular road. Police took away the motorcycle and kept it in the police station. But the very next day the bike was not in its place rather it was found in the accident spot. The police again hauled away the bike to the police station and chained it and punctured the tyre. But amazingly it was again found on the accident spot the next Image source: day. This is how the bullet baba shrine came into existence. Local people believed that the soul of the bullet baba will take care of everyone who crosses this highway taking his blessing. Holding to the belief bikers, drivers and tourists out of curiosity or in faith visit the temple. Also, it has been believed that the offering for bullet baba is whisky once the wish has been fulfilled the worshippers should come again with a bottle of whisky. A country sharing border with seven countries and peacefully living with several religions and languages, India is home to innumerable castes and tribes, as well as to more than hundreds of major and minor linguistic groups. These groups come from several language families and are unrelated to one another. This in itself sums up to be a rare citation for an unconventional phenomenon. With welcoming nature and warm hearts, India always attracts tourists and it will continue to do so. Article by: Mridusmita Puzari.

8 Aashna Hashmi: A Fashion Designer in Making Aashna Hashmi is a budding fashion designer and hails from Wadsa, a small town near Nagpur, Maharashtra. She is a young dynamic 20 year old girl, born on 21st September She is currently pursuing her Bachelor s degree in Fashion Designing from INIFD, Nagpur while she did her schooling from Christanand School, Brahmapuri and continued her college from Janta College, Chandrapur. Aashna had a very normal childhood and a very normal family.she loves playing cricket with her brother and is the apple of his eye. She is also very fond of cooking. On asking her about her inspiration on the choice of her career, she says she wanted to do something different. Mostly all the elders in her family are into engineering and thus she didn t want to pursue the same. She was adamant on this but very clear about her goals, so, she came to Nagpur against her father s wish to continue with her love for fashion designing. Her dad wanted her to be an architect. Just like everybody, Aashna has also seen her share of good and bad times. She lost her father when she was in her 1st year and this incident broke her and demotivated her to keep going. It was very hard for her to continue knowing that her father had disagreed for her career choice and was upset about the same. She could not handle the guilt. But thanks to her mother and brother, who both went extra miles for her just to see her fulfill her dream. They did not let Aashna miss her father, let alone

9 being guilty and upset in any way. Her mentor, Mr. Saurabh Kumar, motivated her through the thick and thins and encouraged her to stick to her dreams and follow her heart. Her gratitude for her mentor is visible through her expressions and by the smile she has on her face, every time she speaks about him. She received the prestigious INIFD Designer Award, 2016 at the end of her 1st year, which in itself is an achievement worth mentioning. While in conversation with Aashna, she mentioned to us on a lighter note, that when she was a kid, she used to draw human figures with different types of under garments, which would automatically change its colour, if the person wearing it pees in it!! So one can understand that Aashna has a real fun and creative angle to her personality. She is sometimes kiddish in her behavior but really mature in her work. Talking about her unusual work, Aashna has also designed a non-textile garment. It was completely made of paper and pencil waste. As mentioned earlier, her innovation and thinking are always out of the box, always have that creative edge, as told by her peers. She is inspired by the great designer Tarun Tahiliani to design garments for males too. Aashna makes her own accessories and at present she has her own label named, Alarasi- Anything for You. We at Thousand Miles, wish her good luck for all her future endeavors, and express great appreciation for her mother and brother for being supportive to her dreams and helping in carving out such a fine and passionate fashion designer for the country. Thousand Miles to look forward to Aashna!

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11 Featuring Aashna Hashmi Photographs: Rohan Lala

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20 Location 1: MIHAN Multi-modal International Cargo Hub at Nagpur Location 2: Edbor s Mansion: A home done tastefully with aesthetic interiors. It has artistic touch of statement art pieces and brings the ideology of the owner to life with the presence of simple yet elegant upholstery. Model: Purabi Edbor Location: Step Inn Restaurant,, Nagpur: Back in mid-90 s, when Nagpur was a little sleepy city, this restaurant introduced Nagpur to al fresco dinner. With a delectable variety of multi-cuisine delights, it has carved a place in the hearts and palates of the people of Nagpur. Its pride is a handpicked compilation of recipes, inspired from Mom s traditional cook book to tempered variations of selected recipes gathered during its extensive travels. Model: Anisha Sharma Photographer: Rohan Lala & Devarshi Bhargav

21 An Interview with Vasant Kallola Thousand Miles Team in exclusive talk with Vasant Kallola, the author of It s okay to fail, my son. Having a vast experience in IT and Corporate world since his young age, Mr. Kallola has accepted everything that life has to offer him. He took all his experiences and the lessons he learnt and jot down a beautiful literary piece for the readers to read. This is what he has say to on our questions Thousand Miles: What inspired you to write this book? Vasant: My son, Viraj. I saw his struggle to score good percentages during 10th and 12th standards. What puzzled me was the fact that, when he was preparing himself for great turning point of his life, why was he feeling stressed instead of feeling excited about it? You can say that, my emotions towards him watching his struggle came out in the form of a book. Allow me to add: this behavior is not common to Viraj alone; most of the people I have come across demonstrate similar behavior of feeling nervous during most crucial moments of lives e.g. appearing for a job interview or giving presentation to chairman of the company. Thousand Miles: The part where Mr. Bhattacharya breaks down is a really impressive one. Have you experienced same kind of character in your real life? Vasant: Yes. In my school days, I had a teacher who had gone through Bhattacharya kind of tragedy in his life i.e.

22 losing the only son even after donating his kidney to the ailing son. I was not mature enough to feel the pain and agony of a father at that time, but his life incident got engraved in my mind. Thousand Miles: What is your writing Kryptonite? Vasant: Human emotions, which define relationships and determine our behaviors. My expertise is on Mind Toughness Techniques which enable achieving impossible by people with ordinary background. Thousand Miles: As a writer what would you choose as your mascot / avatar / spirit animal? Vasant: My spirit animal is an Elephant. He is Big; Intelligent; Powerful yet Lovable. He knows no fears, is very sharp in mind and memory and yet does not intimidate smaller animals. Thousand Miles: Your book is very inspiring. Should it be sent to school principals for getting an idea on how to make studies interesting? Vasant: Certainly. The chapter in story Work together, build together where Rahul Saxena guides Dr. Amit Mahajan when he publicly ridicules his son, Ameya Mahajan for not answering a question is tested by me. And we often come across parents, teachers venting out their frustration on children in some way or the other. The most common way of venting out the negativity among elders is put down the child through hurting words or sometimes even physical punishments. I would suggest everyone concerned with education and upbringing of children to read this book, as it covers in great detail psychological aspects of the students. I must add some schools have gone extra miles in adopting the content and put it in practice. One school in remote area of Tamil Nadu got so much inspired with the book that, their teachers and students prepared a play based on book s story on school s annual day function. I am overwhelmed to see such kind of belief and dedication. Thousand Miles: You must learn to accept the failure with same ease as you would normally accept the success Please explain. Vasant: You see, as per human psychology, all our actions are driven by two fundamental factors: Desire to Gain and Fear of Loss. So for every action that we take, we either have the desire to gain something or a fear of losing something, which we want to prevent.

23 Out of these two factors, fear of losing is more powerful. A fearful mind will only strive to achieve the results that are necessary to address the fear, like in the case of a student; he will work towards scoring marks adequate enough to help him pass the exams. But, this fear or negativity shackles the creativity of mind, which is essential for achieving bigger success or excellence. In other words, fear of failure / loss acts as a big block in your journey towards excellence. Excellence is the result of your work which you enjoy doing and you are passionate about continuously improving your own standard of performance. So, you need to consciously replace fear of failure with joy of doing things passionately. Thousand Miles: At some places one feels that book has been written with Bollywood film in mind, do you think? Vasant: No. The book has not been written with any Bollywood influence. But still, you may find some instances such as Madhuri falls in love with Rahul or Rahul taking head on confrontation with Dagdu, a local don, to free one of his students who was abused by the don, may sound Bollywood style, but such incidents do happen in our day to day lives. Every individual chooses different way of facing the situations. Thousand Miles: What was your hardest scene to write? Vasant: Rahul s grief on learning that his beloved son, Sachin, has consumed poison and tried committing suicide. I was in tears while writing this scene. Thousand Miles: Do you Google yourself? Vasant: Yes, I do keep in touch with my readers. As a matter of fact, I receive 8 10 mails from readers every week. They give honest feedback / review of the book. I must tell you that, I am overwhelmed with the love and affection my book has got from the readers. Plus, there are many milestones that book has achieved since its launch like featuring in top 5 selling books on Flipkart in Bangalore (no. 1), Delhi ( no. 2) and Mumbai (no. 4) in The Economic Times Flipkart survey titled What India Reads. Thousand Miles: What are the most difficult things about writing characters from the opposite sex? Vasant: To portray female characters in a negative shade. My belief is women are the most beautiful thing to happen to us! I have been very fortunate with women in my life; my wife, mother, sisters, teachers and friends. They all have been so good, so to imagine a character just opposite to my own experiences is the difficult thing. Thousand Miles: How did publishing your first book change your process of writing? Vasant: Fortunately, I did not have to struggle much to get my creation published. After writing the manuscript, Times Group Books was the first and last publisher I met. They liked the subject and agreed to publish it.

24 However, the overwhelming success and love showered by the readers on my first book It s okay to fail, my son has made me work for even better creations, so that way my approach to writing has changed. My next creation must meet raised level of expectations my readers will have from me. Thousand Miles: Which famous person living or dead you would like to meet and why? Vasant: (Smilingly) I love and adore many people, so choosing only one from that is a real challenge! Still if I have to go ahead and choose the one, then my answer is Lord Rama. Given a choice, I would like to go back 5000 years in history and meet this amazing person! I want to understand his mindset; how can one be so powerful yet so much humble! Much knowledgeable yet so much knowledge seeker! A real lover yet so much principled! The list of characteristics is endless. The more I think about him, the more I get amazed. Thousand Miles: Your thoughts on being featured in Exploring India issue of our magazine Thousand Miles. Vasant: It is really a pleasure and privilege to be associated with your reputed and loved magazine. I wish you success in all your endeavors to give best in class reading material to your readers.

25 䤀琀栀愀渀欀刀愀琀栀椀渀䐀甀 愀昀漀爀最椀瘀椀渀最洀攀愀渀漀瀀瀀漀爀琀甀渀椀琀礀琀漀挀漀渀渀攀挀琀眀椀琀栀琀栀攀爀攀愀搀攀爀猀漀昀吀栀漀甀猀愀渀搀䴀椀氀攀猀 䤀琀 猀琀爀甀氀礀挀漀洀洀攀渀搀愀戀氀攀琀栀愀琀栀攀愀瀀瀀爀攀挀椀愀琀攀猀愀渀搀瀀爀漀洀漀琀攀猀眀爀椀 渀最椀渀愀渀愀最攀眀栀攀爀攀渀漀琀洀愀渀礀瀀攀漀瀀氀攀瀀椀挀欀甀瀀愀戀漀漀欀 ⴀ 匀甀搀攀攀瀀一愀最愀爀欀愀爀 嘀伀䰀唀䴀䔀㔀 䤀匀唀䔀㐀㠀 Testimonials 䘀漀爀洀攀昀攀愀琀甀爀椀渀最愀渀礀眀栀攀爀攀椀猀最爀攀愀琀栀漀渀漀甀爀 Ⰰ 椀琀 猀愀最漀漀搀攀砀瀀攀爀椀攀渀挀攀眀栀攀渀瀀攀漀瀀氀攀愀猀欀礀漀甀昀漀爀愀渀椀渀琀攀爀瘀椀攀眀漀爀琀愀氀欀愀戀漀甀琀礀漀甀爀眀漀爀欀 䤀栀攀愀爀搀愀氀漀琀愀戀漀甀琀琀栀漀甀猀愀渀搀洀椀氀攀猀 Ⰰ 琀栀攀愀洀漀甀渀琀漀昀眀漀爀欀琀栀攀礀瀀甀琀戀攀栀椀渀搀琀漀搀攀瘀攀氀漀瀀猀漀洀攀琀栀椀渀最 䤀琀 猀椀洀洀攀渀猀攀瀀氀攀愀猀甀爀攀琀漀戀攀瀀愀爀琀漀昀猀甀挀栀愀琀栀攀洀攀 ⴀ 䬀爀椀猀栀渀愀嘀攀爀洀愀 琀攀猀琀椀洀漀渀椀愀氀猀 吀栀椀猀椀猀昀愀渀琀愀猀 挀 䤀愀洀昀攀攀氀椀渀最栀愀瀀瀀礀愀渀搀瀀爀漀甀搀愀戀漀甀琀琀栀愀琀 ⴀ 䤀爀愀琀爀椀瘀攀搀椀 吀栀攀渀愀洀攀漀昀礀漀甀爀洀愀最愀稀椀渀攀爀攀洀椀渀搀猀洀攀漀昀洀礀昀愀瘀漀甀爀椀琀攀瀀漀攀洀戀礀刀漀戀攀爀琀䘀爀漀猀琀㨀 ᰠ 吀栀攀眀漀漀搀猀愀爀攀氀漀瘀攀氀礀 Ⰰ 搀愀爀欀愀渀搀搀攀攀瀀 Ⰰ 䈀甀琀䤀栀愀瘀攀瀀爀漀洀椀猀攀猀琀漀欀攀攀瀀 Ⰰ 䄀渀搀洀椀氀攀猀琀漀最漀戀攀昀漀爀攀䤀猀氀攀攀瀀 ᴠ 䰀攀琀 猀栀漀瀀攀琀栀愀琀礀漀甀爀洀愀最愀稀椀渀攀愀渀搀䤀栀愀瘀攀戀漀琀栀琀愀欀攀渀琀栀攀瀀爀漀瘀攀爀戀椀愀氀 ǻ 爀猀琀猀琀攀瀀椀渀琀栀攀樀漀甀爀渀攀礀漀昀愀吀栀漀甀猀愀渀搀䴀椀氀攀猀 ⴀ 䄀猀栀眀椀渀匀愀渀最栀椀吀栀椀猀欀椀渀搀漀昀攀 û 漀爀琀猀洀甀猀琀栀愀瘀攀眀愀爀洀眀攀氀挀漀洀攀昀爀漀洀愀氀挀漀爀渀攀爀猀漀昀琀栀攀猀漀挀椀攀琀礀 欀攀攀瀀最爀漀眀椀渀最眀椀琀栀氀漀琀漀昀椀搀攀愀猀眀栀椀挀栀栀攀氀瀀猀甀猀 琀栀攀洀甀猀椀挀椀愀渀猀眀栀漀愀爀攀攀砀瀀攀爀椀洀攀渀 渀最愀渀搀攀瘀漀氀瘀椀渀最 漀爀洀漀 瘀愀琀攀琀漀搀漀洀漀爀攀洀甀猀椀挀 ⴀ 䌀愀挀琀甀猀䴀礀栀攀愀爀 攀猀琀挀漀渀最爀愀琀甀氀愀 漀渀猀琀漀琀栀攀琀攀愀洀漀昀吀栀漀甀猀愀渀搀䴀椀氀攀猀昀漀爀琀栀攀昀攀愀琀 䤀昀攀攀氀戀漀琀栀栀愀瀀瀀礀愀渀搀栀漀渀漀甀爀攀搀琀漀戀攀愀瀀愀爀琀漀昀琀栀攀洀愀最愀稀椀渀攀 猀愀渀渀椀瘀攀爀猀愀爀礀椀猀甀攀 䤀愀洀猀甀爀攀吀栀漀甀猀愀渀搀䴀椀氀攀猀猀栀愀氀愀挀栀椀攀瘀攀洀愀渀礀洀漀爀攀洀椀氀攀猀琀漀渀攀猀椀渀琀栀攀渀攀愀爀昀甀琀甀爀攀 䈀攀猀琀眀椀猀栀攀猀昀漀爀琀栀攀猀愀洀攀 ⴀ 一漀瘀漀渀攀攀氀䌀栀愀欀爀愀戀漀爀琀礀 䤀昀攀攀氀爀攀愀氀礀栀漀渀漀爀攀搀愀渀搀栀甀洀戀氀攀搀 吀栀椀猀戀攀椀渀最洀礀 ǻ 爀猀琀攀瘀攀爀椀渀琀攀爀瘀椀攀眀 Ⰰ 愀猀愀渀愀甀琀栀漀爀椀渀搀椀挀愀琀攀猀琀栀愀琀渀漀眀琀栀攀樀漀甀爀渀攀礀栀愀猀 ǻ 渀愀氀礀挀漀洀洀攀渀挀攀搀 䤀爀攀愀氀礀栀漀瀀攀琀栀椀猀椀猀樀甀猀琀琀栀攀戀攀最椀渀渀椀渀最漀昀戀椀最最攀爀愀渀搀戀攀 攀爀琀栀椀渀最猀琀漀挀漀洀攀 䈀漀琀栀昀漀爀洀攀愀渀搀 ᠠ 吀栀漀甀猀愀渀搀䴀椀氀攀猀 ⴀ 䬀爀椀 欀愀䴀愀氀栀漀琀爀愀䴀椀氀攀猀吀攀愀洀椀猀搀漀椀渀最愀最爀攀愀琀樀漀戀 䤀琀猀昀漀爀琀栀攀洀琀栀愀琀眀攀挀愀洀攀椀渀昀爀漀渀琀漀昀猀漀洀愀渀礀瀀攀漀瀀氀攀 倀攀漀瀀氀攀挀愀洀攀琀漀欀渀漀眀愀戀漀甀琀甀猀 吀䠀刀䔀䔀䌀䠀䔀䔀刀匀䘀伀刀䴀䤀䰀䔀匀吀䔀䄀䴀 䜀伀䐀戀氀攀猀礀漀甀 䴀愀礀礀漀甀爀樀漀甀爀渀攀礀攀砀瀀愀渀搀洀漀爀攀琀栀愀渀洀椀氀椀漀渀洀椀氀攀猀昀爀漀洀洀椀氀攀猀 ⴀ 䐀攀攀渀最愀

26 The Hornbill Festival: Nagaland You must visit this awesome festival, at least once, which is held in the month of December every year at Nagaland. In this state, you will see different tribes with their own district ethos and lifestyle. Almost over 18 tribes which are recognized by the government take part in this. It is said that some tribes still live in the core forest and aren t introduced to the civilization. Naga civilization is a well interweaved and cohesive entity, which lives by ancient tents, that play the important protagonist in the contemporary life. The monsoon time here is from June to September. Kohima is the capital of this state. Though one can visit Nagaland 365 days a year, but the considered ideal time is November to March. For explorers and trekkers, the ideal time is November to July. Dzukou Valley and Japhu peak are the best attractions for the explorer. There are many festivals that happen in Nagaland from time to time. Dzuko Valley:Once you step in the Dzukou Valley, you will be enthralled by the lovely sights of nature; the picturesque landscapes. You can do the trekking there. The trek points are located at an altitude of 2438m above sea level. This Valley is known as Valley of the Flowers of the North-East. The tranquility, the complete silence, the serenity of the surroundings are a complete alteration from the city life and noise. The Dzukou Valley is situated right at the border of Nagaland and Manipur, just behind the magnificent Japfu peak. Two beautiful rivers run through the valley the Dzukou and Japfu rivers. JaphuPeak:To see the glazing sunrise at the height of 3048 meters above sea level from the Japfu Peak you will have to wake up realearly (around 3.30AM) and trek uphill for at least 3 to 5 hrs. From this peak, you

27 can see the entire Kohima town with the magnificent sunrise. The peak is the main attraction for many trekkers and it is advisable that only hardcore explorers and adventurers can gothere due to uphill trek. The whole valley of the Japfu Peak has flourishing green vegetation and its reflection emerges on the lake, full of emeralds covered by the snow-clad Himalayas. The view of the adjoining cities and villages is breathtaking. The marvelously exotic Blyth s Tragopan and other hill birds are commonly found in this area and the vegetation profiling here is sub-tropical, withthe vegetation having an extensive leaf pattern on the slopes and moderately broad leaf pattern on higher altitudes. The giant rhododendron trees are in plenty here. Indeed, a Guinness Record holder tree stands in this valley with a height of 130 ft and 11 ft girth. However, seeing these trees require a 5 hours trek around the Japfu peak for one glance. Khonoma Village expedition (Nagaland) This village is sited about 20 km away from the state capital, Kohima. The village is predicted to be around 700 years old and is famous for its forests and an exceptional form of agriculture, including some of the oldest terraced cultivation in the region. The landscape of this village is hilly, ranging from moderate incline to steep and rugged hillsides. The hills are covered with blossoming forestland, rich in various species of flora and fauna. The state bird, Blyth s tragopan, a pheasant, now in danger of extinction, is seemingly found here. One should surely travel to Nagaland and surrounding places and enjoy this one of the exclusive festivals in India.

28 Travel blog by Sanjeev Dutta Photographs by: Navojit Bhuyan

29

30 Hazard in the Air When it comes to smoking bidi and hookah, the name India is not very far behind. India is ranked first in COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease deaths. Smoking has always been a problem and it s after effects have often very easily been neglected. India with about 2.65 million patients followed by China with 2.57 million and Japan with 2.12 COPD patients, stands at top of the charts as detected in a survey which has created chaos amongst people. Within India, Assam is all set to break the record in the percentage of COPD. Dr. Basanta Hazarika, Associate Professor, pulmonary medicine, Gauhati Medical College, gives the readers some information about COPD and the causes behind it. COPD or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, is primarily described as prototype Chronic Bronchitis (CB). It has now become a major cause of health care burden worldwide, and the only leading cause of death that is increasing in prevalence. Not only smokers fall in trap of such disease, but COPD is also a problem for nonsmokers too, particularly in women and children. Both in childhood and adulthood one can be the target of such disease, he adds. He further, says, Solid fuels or biomass fuels such as dried dung, wood and crop residues are a major problem for COPD countries like India, Nepal, China. Women are at high risk when it comes to domestic cooking in kitchens with poor ventilated houses. Global warming is a matter of concern in the recent years and is also causing many such diseases of which people are unaware. Pulling the list longer, Dr. Basanta Hazarika said, Air pollution is killing so rapidly that one can not even measure. And with the increasing ideas of metro cities these problems have got a way to penetrate in the lives of people. When randomly selected, the residents of Delhi are seen to be more vulnerable to respiratory symptoms of chronic cough, phlegm and dyspnea.industrial

31 wastes and dust produced every day are seen as a reason behind the disease. Other than these, increasing age, low socio-economic status and infections are also included as risk factors. Discussing about the common signs and symptoms Dr. Hazarika said, One of the first symptoms would surely be cough that produces mucus at a bulk which is also known as smokers cough. Patient might also suffer from shortness of breath, wheezing, making a whistling sound while breathing and chest tightness. So for safety purposes if someone gets these problems, it s better to go to doctor rather than ignoring it. Dr. Hazarika spoke about rehabilitation too, Tobacco smoking remains at the top of risk factors that leads to deterioration of lung functions and disease progression in COPD. However, rehabilitation is the best way to limit as well as stop the flow of the disease in people. Anyway, there is no such rehab clinic in town, but yes during treatment, the respective hospitals provide rehab to the patients. During the period we educate them about the disease, and then give courses on exercise and also some nutrition plans. But frankly speaking Assam has progressed over the years and has set a negative example where the disease is spreading its wings openly he adds. Lastly Dr. Hazarika said, The statistical data of people suffering here is not yet known. But throughout my medical experience I have seen quite a lot of patients both in severe and normal stage. Where Mizoram rules the list. Cover Image Source: Lungs Disease The report as interviewed and presented by our columnist Karishma Dewri

32 Can heaven be somewhere else? It was the summer of 2012, in the burning city of Kanpur, when my father decided to plan a trip to somewhere cooler. The voting began, and in the end, all of us had our fingers fixed on a place, a place with the most beautiful beaches on Earth, Andaman and Nicobar islands. I was extremely excited for the trip. It was a week s trip to almost all the islands of Port Blair. So finally it began the journey to the Heaven on Earth. Cellular Jail-We started off with the Cellular Jail, popularly known as Kala Paani. A place, that bears a history of a lot of pain; screams and shrieks. You feel as if you can still hear the voices of the prisoners through the walls of the cells, just by looking at its architecture. Such was the brutality and acts of cruelty by the Britishers. I also attended the light and sound show conducted there at night, and I could feel the pain of every single prisoner that might have stayed there. Tears rolled down my cheeks. That was our first night in the city. Corbyn s Cove-The next day started on a cheerful note, we went to a nearby beach, which was crowded by tourists from across the globe. What a sight it was; birds chirping, children playing in the sand and cool breeze brushing my skin! Everything was so mesmerizing. I was all thinking about seizing every moment to create beautiful memories for after!

33 We spent our next two days visiting all the nearby beaches and capturing pictures and moments as we moved forward. Wandoor- Wandoor is one of the most peaceful beaches of Port Blair. Everything was so calm and peaceful. One just can t get enough of it. I personally recommend this one. With beautiful coral reefs and clean water, this place is the most mesmerizing of all. Havelock Island- Havelock Island is the most popular tourist attraction and generally is the most crowded one. The main attractions are Neil Island, Ross Island and Viper Island. Ross Island used to be a British headquarter in those days. Though tsunami caused quite a great damage to most of its heritage, the place still holds its beauty. Viper Island, as the name suggests, was once a home of vipers. This island was like a punishment cell for the Indian prisoners. The British used to hang the prisoners on a rod attached to the roof there and leave them on their fate. I remember that when our tour guide was describing all this to us, my mom and I broke into tears. The tales of cruelty are long enough to make you cry a river. That night I couldn t sleep properly, thinking about the barbarity of the British army. The next day was our last day in that beautiful city. Obviously, I did not want to leave. Our people plan vacations abroad but what they don t realize is that India is the most beautiful of all. This visit to Andaman and Nicobar Islands was a couple of years ago, but the memories of that place are still fresh in my mind, as if it all happened yesterday! Travel Blog and Pictures by Prachi Pandey

34 Exploring India Gallery by Rohan Ponta Sahib Gurudwara, Himachal Triveni Ghat, Rishikesh

35 University of Petroleum & Energy Studies, Dehradun Triveni Ghat, Rishikesh

36 Cherapunji, Meghalaya Igatpuri, Maharashtra

37 Triveni Ghat, Rishikesh Shillong, Meghalaya

38 Pictures by Rohan Lala. Igatpuri, Maharashtra

39 ETERNAL WIND CHIME My wind chime of peace! The wind would kiss you tender and resonate the harmony so soothing, so compassionate. Take me to my long lost calm; Revive me to the core; bring back my popping colors; Tuning to your euphony I would sing to the reminiscence of my past glory. My wind chime of hope! In tranquility, you would let me dream, Let me soak in the fascination of the future unrevealed; The beauty in your melody would make me believe more in me And I would stride to taste the sweetness of the dew of fantasy. My wind chime of love! Awaken my dormant desires; Make me believe in your harmony and in the truth of love ; Let me derive the faith from the love saga of antiquity; And I would compose the melodious sonnet in my heart. Poem by -Joonak Konwar

40 匀洀愀氀䘀椀猀栀匀瀀椀挀礀 䌀栀漀琀漀 䈀栀甀樀椀愀 䴀愀挀栀攀爀䌀栀漀爀挀栀漀爀椀 䤀琀椀猀愀瘀攀爀礀猀椀洀瀀氀攀愀渀搀攀愀猀礀琀爀愀搀椀 漀渀愀氀爀攀挀椀瀀攀 夀漀甀挀愀渀甀猀攀愀渀礀欀椀渀搀漀昀猀洀愀氀 ǻ 猀栀 挀栀漀琀漀洀愀挀栀 昀漀爀琀栀椀猀爀攀挀椀瀀攀 䤀甀猀攀搀洀甀猀琀愀爀搀瀀愀猀琀攀椀渀琀栀椀猀爀攀挀椀瀀攀 䤀昀礀漀甀愀爀攀氀椀瘀椀渀最漀瘀攀爀猀攀愀猀 Ⰰ 礀漀甀挀愀渀甀猀攀栀漀琀䔀渀最氀椀猀栀洀甀猀琀愀爀搀瀀愀猀琀攀琀漀洀愀欀攀栀愀渀搀礀 嘀攀爀礀猀洀愀氀 ǻ 猀栀椀猀愀氀猀漀欀渀漀眀渀愀猀戀栀甀樀椀愀 ǻ 猀栀䤀一䜀刀䔀䐀䤀䔀一吀匀 アハ ート最洀倀甀渀 ǻ 猀栀 挀甀琀愀渀搀挀氀攀愀渀攀搀 伀渀椀漀渀 ǻ 渀攀氀礀猀氀椀挀攀搀 琀愀戀氀攀猀瀀漀漀渀洀甀猀琀愀爀搀瀀愀猀琀攀 琀攀愀猀瀀漀漀渀挀栀漀瀀瀀攀搀䜀愀爀氀椀挀 ⴀ 㐀䜀爀攀攀渀挀栀椀氀椀攀猀猀氀椀挀攀搀 琀攀愀猀瀀漀漀渀爀漀愀猀琀攀搀䌀甀洀椀渀倀漀眀搀攀爀 琀攀愀猀瀀漀漀渀刀攀搀䌀栀椀氀椀倀漀眀搀攀爀 봀琀攀愀猀瀀漀漀渀吀甀爀洀攀爀椀挀倀漀眀搀攀爀 琀愀戀氀攀猀瀀漀漀渀䌀漀爀椀愀渀搀攀爀䰀攀愀瘀攀猀挀栀漀瀀瀀攀搀 戀愀礀氀攀愀昀 琀愀戀氀攀猀漀椀氀䴀甀猀琀愀爀搀伀椀氀漀爀瘀攀最攀琀愀戀氀攀漀椀氀 匀愀氀琀琀漀琀愀猀琀攀

41 匀洀愀氀䘀椀猀栀匀瀀椀挀礀 䌀栀漀琀漀 䈀栀甀樀椀愀 䴀愀挀栀攀爀䌀栀漀爀挀栀漀爀椀 䠀伀圀吀伀䌀伀䬀 アハ ート 吀愀欀攀琀栀攀瀀愀渀椀渀眀栀椀挀栀礀漀甀眀椀氀愀渀搀愀搀搀 ǻ 猀栀愀渀搀愀氀琀栀攀椀渀最爀攀搀椀攀渀琀猀攀砀挀攀瀀琀挀甀洀椀渀瀀漀眀搀攀爀愀渀搀挀漀爀椀愀渀搀攀爀氀攀愀瘀攀猀 䴀椀砀眀攀氀愀渀搀愀搀搀봀挀甀瀀眀愀琀攀爀 一漀眀琀甀爀渀漀渀琀栀攀栀攀愀琀愀渀搀挀漀漀欀椀琀甀渀搀攀爀挀氀漀猀攀搀氀椀搀漀渀洀攀搀椀甀洀栀攀愀琀 圀栀攀渀眀愀琀攀爀搀爀椀攀猀甀瀀 Ⰰ 愀搀搀挀甀洀椀渀瀀漀眀搀攀爀愀渀搀挀漀爀椀愀渀搀攀爀氀攀愀瘀攀猀愀渀搀挀栀攀挀欀猀愀氀琀 䄀琀琀栀攀攀渀搀漀昀挀漀漀欀椀渀最甀挀愀渀愀搀搀氀攀洀漀渀氀攀愀昀昀漀爀戀攀 攀爀猀洀攀氀 漀瀀 漀渀愀氀 㐀 匀攀爀瘀攀倀甀 䴀愀挀栀攀爀䌀栀漀爀挀栀漀爀椀 匀瀀椀挀礀匀洀愀氀䘀椀猀栀 ꨉ섉脉鼉뼉급븉鬉윉뀉騉 ꄉ밉騉 ꄉ밉뼉眀椀琀栀瀀氀愀椀渀栀漀琀爀椀挀攀

42 Atomic blonde review Well, this is one of the badass female centric films of the year directed by DAVID LEITCH. The way charlize thereon did action in the film that's spectacular. This film is based on the graphic novel The Coldest City. The opening credit is quite beautiful in its own way. At some point you will have idea what is the story. If you like actions then go for it and if you like Charlize then no need to read any review. After mad max this is her full of action film. Plot: In 1989, towards the end of the Cold War amidst political unrest in Berlin, secret agent James Gasciogne (Sam Hargrave) is killed on the streets by Russian operative Yuri Bakhtin (Jóhannes Jó hannesson). The MI6, led by Eric Gray (Toby Jones) and Chief C (James Faulkner) dispatch their top-level spy Lorraine Broughton (Charlize Theron) to Berlin with a special mission. Broughton has to locate Bakhtin and the classified list of names involved in intelligence organizations he stole, or else the conflict could endure for several more years. Upon arriving in Germany, Broughton meets up with her contact, David Percival (James McAvoy), and the two form an uneasy alliance with each other. As Lorraine begins her search for the list, she suspects that not all is what it seems, and attempts to navigate through a web of deception, unsure of who she can really trust. With the list out in the open available to the highest bidder, Broughton enters a fight for her life, trying to survive so she can prevent catastrophic consequences from happening. Action work is superb and so is camera work which is done by French cinematographer Jonathan Sela.Direction is as good as John wick. You wonder why i mentioned that movie. DAVID LEITCH was also the producer director for John wick and John wick 2. I will give this film 3.5* /5*. It s good and you should defiantly go and watch this film once. Film releases India on 11 August Film review by Akshay Vyas. Stills collected from Internet.

43 Bultir Result (Bengali Movie) Crowd Funding: A Story of a Small Town Girl Story-line: Movie Bultir Result is Bengali feature film depicts a story of a small-town girl Bulti, from Badkulla, who scores the highest marks in West Bengal s board examinations. The film deals with what happens next, the media frenzy that erupts in the small town and the kinds of challenges that come Bulti s way, thereby changing everything for her and her world. People behind the movie: Director Pinaki Sarkar Key Cast Shyamoupti Mudly, Abhijit Guha, Sumanta Mukherjee, Nitya Biswas, Sidhartha Chaterjee, Aritra Dutta, Dola Chakrabarty, Romit Ganguly, Sudeshna Basu Producer Ritajaya Banerjee Production: Alter Ego Films Production Bulti s Journey So Far From the director: One evening, a friend who was working as an anchor for a live TV show, got back from his work disgruntled. All day he d worked with this topper kid, who was on the floor filming, without any food and rest. Just thinking about how pitiless the media can be really bothered me. And that was the real-life inspiration behind the story of Bultir Result. Our Take on the Movie: A movie like Bultir result is rooted to such a real life incident that you feel the vibes of Indian society as soon as you watch the movie. For time being, they are crowd funding for the film post production. They invested all good earned money in making the film. But as the film goes into post production phase, it requires other 8 lacs rupees for completing the overall film. They approached various producers to invest in the film. But, all turned back to the creators of the Movie. Pinaki Sarkar who has directed various short movies and documentaries, has garnered the best in his Awards bucket when his documentary Hijli Detention Camp at IIT: An Untold Saga was awarded in JIO Filmfare Awards 2017 as Official Entry & Nominations in the Popular Choice Category & Best Non Fiction Category.

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45 About Us The first thing that comes to mind is What is Thousand Miles? Well, Thousand Miles is a journey. A journey on the, Highway of creativity that tries to reach out to those souls who love reading. Good literature is always refreshing for the mind, just like that morning cup of coffee/tea, which has become an addiction for many over the years. So we re just trying to cater to the needs of those addicted readers with a new vista on literature and art. But then arises the question: Is there a need for a new magazine when the internet and the print media is already brimming with a plethora of magazines, novels which serve the purpose? Our answer is: In today s age where race for perfection is second to breathing oxygen, there are many embattled souls- budding artists out there who haven t reached the pinnacle of excellence in writing as yet but with a little polishing and proper guidance they can be the future stars of the literary world. Now we here at Thousand Miles believe in giving a bit of exposure to these novice artists. We will be the medium. We aren t the judges albeit we will surely help you with some tips and constructive criticism. But the ultimate onus lies on the vast majority of online readers who will be our strength and support in this journey. Their constructive criticisms, comments and views would go a long way in the development of the artistic mind and the growth as a writer in case of the contributors. Nevertheless, contributions from well-known, established writers and artists are always welcomed at Thousand Miles as these writings will enable our amateur artists to learn and imbibe the finesse and beauty of a good piece. We also encourage our contributors to flout the norms and indulge in a bit of innovation, maybe in terms of writing style or (unedited) photography. Because Thousand Miles believes in setting newer milestones for the world! Core Mast-heads: Name: Rathin Dutta Designation: Founder-cum-Editor Editor at Thousand Miles. Simple man with legitimate amount of dreams. An NIT Agartala, India Alumnus. Grad man from VTU, Chennai. He is a thinker, writer and teacher all mingled into the curry of dreams. He can be found in Greater Noida these days handling little techno devils. Name: Devarshi Bhargav Designation: Social Sector Manager, Co-Founder Although an Energy Engineer by profession, he is a Travel Buff to the core. You won t find him at one place for more than 6 months. He has travelled & stayed across different corners of the Country from the extreme South to North India and then to the extreme West of the country. Presently he is based in Central India. He hails from the North- Eastern City of Guwahati, Assam. His hobby includes clicking anything and everything he finds on his travel expeditions.

46 Name: Hrishikesh Bharali Designation: Technical Head, Co-Founder: A perpetual day-dreamer, astronomy fanatic, gizmo aficionado,loves reading novels,music buff and an occasional writer. He completed his B.Tech from VTU, Chennai and MBA in Finance & Marketing from Tezpur University, Assam. Currently, he is working as a Marketing Manager in Kotak Mahindra Group. Name: Mukunda Madhab Dutta Designation: Co-Founder An engineer by education, he is the powerhouse behind TM s Creative efforts. Blessed with an infectious energy, the word IMPOSSIBLE doesn t exist in his e will recko d lovesliste dictionary. When it comes to TM, he is very passionate about making Thousand Miles a magazine that people will reckon with in future. Moreover, he has a great sense of humour and loves listening to Assamese Songs! Other Members or you can Say TM team are: Name: Akshay Vyas Designation: Creative Artist A Traveller by nature, a Filmmaker by profession, Akshay is making his dreams come true in Bollywood. His hobby includes reading novels and writing short stories. His sense of humour has reached the pinnacle where he has to explain his masterpieces to others!he is also a Standup comedian (that s a value added service though!) He loves singing with all his heart. Recently we came to know, he proposed his dream girl by singing a song. Hmm It might be a rumour but we are loving the story. He respects humanity and takes life from the coolest perspective. His passion for film making drives him to something that he has always longed for. Name: Bikash Mahato Designation: Creative Designer An electrical engineer by education. Alumnus of RIST, Meghalaya. Pursuing his dream course on Video and Film Design at MITID, Pune. A vibrant and meticulous in-house creative creature of Thousand Miles family. He loves sketching, travelling, meeting creative people and tasting palatable dishes wherever he goes. He excels in digitally designed works as well as hand sketching and painting. He is one of the youngest in the Thousand Miles family yet very stylish just like his design works. We, at Thousand Miles lovingly call him Tiklu.

47 Name: Nityaa Nair Designation: Columnist In her own words, Bibliomaniac, Sapiosexual, Happy-Traveller, Multilingual, A-Stuck-Story-Teller. An alumnus from Guahati Commerce College, Assam. Currently, she is working at Maruti Suzuki as Sales Executive and lives in Vizag, India. She remains calm and happy no matter what situation she is into. She likes writing poems, short stories and loves travelling. Her favorite city is Guwahati and she has a strong emotional connect to it. She is jolly and finds her interest in exploring deepest horizons of life. Name: Jurismita Puzari Designation: Columnist Alumnus from Tezpur University, Assam. She is talented and can connect with anyone in no time. She is a Mass-Com graduate and is following her dreams to meet and help underprivileged women and kids throughout India. One of the sweetest members in the TM family, she likes travelling, writing and meeting new people. You will hardly find her in one place. She is active and binds the TM family like anything. Meet our one of the oldest columnists, Miss Activa-the Smiley Face. Name: Saroj Verma Designation: Columnist She is bold and a beauty with brains. Computer Science Engineer by education. She enthralls people s mind with her Urdu and Hindi flavour of words. She hails from Madhya Pradesh and has that in her Hindustan ka Dil Dekho. She likes writing small poems and striking one liners. In her own words I am my own favorite which she proves whenever you happen to talk to her. A damsel not in distress Name: Srija Biswas Designation: Creative Artist A Jadavpur Univerity Alumnus. Currently she is pursuing B.Ed from the same university. She hails from West Bengal, India. She is intelligent, traditional and the thoughtful lady in the house. She loves photography and her DSLR camera is like her soul-mate. She has very practical yet caring approach to everything she handles. Belonging to a rich cultural background, she enjoys festivals and food like anything. You might see her silent at times, but her mind is working creatively in background. Her photography works prove that fact clear-cut.

48 Name: Rohan Lala Designation: Creative Artist A dynamic engineer by education and profession. Grad man from Raisoni College, Nagpur. An alumnus of UPES, Dehradun. He is man of simple words and high thinking. He loves photography and is a complete family man. Meet our in-house Creative Artist Mr. Lala, fun-filled who speaks less but when he speaks, others have to listen as his punch lines are full of flamboyancy. He is a perfect example of a man who keeps friendship as the top most priority. You can visualize him as Jai from the movie Sholay, his acts resembles the character. Yes, you heard me right, he can do anything for his friends. Name: Prachi Pandey Designation: Columnist The little one in the Thousand Miles family. Currently, she is pursuing her graduation in Pharmaceutical Sciences from ITM, Gwalior. She is an avid blogger. She writes on various subjects that can be experienced in our day to day life. She is a popular figure in her campus where she studies. Everybody loves her for her sweetness. She likes being loved and adored. She is the type of Diva you have either seen in movies or have dreamed of. We, at Thousand Miles lovingly call her Tikli. She just completes our family in a way we could never imagine. Name: Aditi Shende Designation: Proof Editor Coming from the Heart of the country, commonly known as Orange City, Nagpur, Aditi is currently pursuing her post-graduation degree of Masters of Business Administration(MBA) with specialization in Marketing, from the CEO Factory of India, the crème de la crème institutes of the country, Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies,Mumbai. She did her graduation in Mechanical Engineering. She considers herself to be a staunch grammar Nazi and therefore is a very perfect and precious addition to the team. Her love for cats is stronger than her love for new clothes, and thank god, unlike some random 3/4thpopulation of this world, she can very well differentiate between your and you re! Meet the redeemer of Thousand Miles guys!! Name: Mridusmita Puzari Designation: Columnist can conquer the world. Graduated from Delhi University and diploma holder in 3D animation and multimedia from Picasso Animation College. Good music, nature and a road trip is her idea of a perfect trip. Mostly very reserved, but impossible to stop once she starts talking. She likes writing on critical topics which other might find difficult to adopt. She has been writing periodically for few travel blogs before she joined Thousand Miles family. She likes to do research before she could jot down and finally shape it into an article. It will be hard reading her mind. She is of the thought as quoted by Marilyn Monroe, Give the girl the right shoes, she

49 Name: Karishma Dewri Designation: Columnist With English as her Honors, she graduated from B. Borooah College, Guwahati and did her Post Graduation in Mass Communication and Journalism from Tezpur University. She may not ask for food at times but never ever detached her from movies. She literally lives on it. Had she been given the drawing brushes, she could bring out near-life sketches for you. She likes to write on topics which are burning issues of India. Being a Mass Comm. graduate, she looks everything closely. You might see her smiling while talking to you but in the meanwhile, her perhaps read your mind already. Beware! She is one the smartest ladies in the TM house.